Purification of dalbaheptide antibiotics by isoelectric focusing

ABSTRACT

Method for purifying antibiotic compounds of the dalbaheptide family by means of isoelectric focusing (IEF) in a multicompartinent electrolyzer with immobiline membranes, in particular zwitterionic membranes. A further object of the invention are pure antibiotic compounds obtainable according to the present process, in particular the pure 6 B  -decarboxy-6 B  -(hydroxymethyl)-N 63  -3-(dimethylamino) propyl amide derivatives of antibiotic A40926.

This application is a 371 of PCT/EP96/02769.

The present invention refers to a method for purifying antibiotic compounds of the dalbaheptide family by means of an electrophoretic technique known as isoelectric focusing.

More precisely, the present purification method refers to isoelectric focusing (IEF) of dalbaheptide antibiotics in a multicompartment electrolyzer with IMMOBILINE membranes, in particular zwitterionic membranes.

A further object of the invention are pure antibiotic compounds obtainable according to the present process, in particular the pure 6^(B-decarboxy-) 6^(B-)(hydroxymethyl)-N⁶³ -3-(dimethylamino)propyl amide derivative of antibiotic A40926.

A thorough description of the principles and methods of IEF in multicompartment electrolyzer with IMMOBILINE membranes can be found in ref. 5.

According to this technique, the compound to be purified is an amphoteric substance characterized by having a determined isoelectric point (pI), and good buffering properties at the pI value (see ref. 102). The mixture to be purified is contained in a liquid vein and it is trapped into one of a set of chambers, said chamber being delimited by two IMMOBILINE membranes having isoelectric points encompassing the pI of the desired compound. Thus, by a continuing electrophoretic titration process, all other impurities, either non-isoelectric or with different pI values are forced to leave the chamber, towards more anodic or cathodic chambers, while the purified compound is left into the initial chamber.

This purification technique has been applied to a number of proteins such as eglin C (ref. 5), monoclonal antibodies against the gp-41 of the AIDS virus (ref. 103), recombinant human growth hormone (ref. 104), the epidermial growth factor receptor (refs. 105 and 106), recombinant superoxide dismutase (ref. 107), interleukin (ref. 108) and glucoamylase (ref. 109).

The present invention discloses for the first time a suitable methodology for applying such IEF purification technique to rather small molecules, with a molecular weight of about 1800 daltons, and specifically to the antibiotic compounds of the dalbaheptides family.

With the term dalbaheptides are usually defined all antibiotic substances having in common a highly modified linear heptapeptidic structure made up of seven amino acids, five of which are constantly aryl- and arylmethyl-amino acids, said structure being determinant of a common mechanism of action, i.e. the specific complexation with the D-alanyl-D-alanine terminus of one or more intermediates of the cell wall synthesis which leads to cell disruption. The term dalbaheptide thus derives from the wording D-al{anyl-D-alanine} b{inding} a{ntibiotics} {having} hept{apept}ide {structure}.

The dalbaheptide antibiotics can conventionally be represented by the following general formula I ##STR1## wherein: W, Z, X₁, X₂ and T represent the relative portions of an antibiotic of the dalbaheptide group; and Y represents a carboxyacid group or a functional derivative thereof.

The formula I includes the salts of dalbaheptide antibiotics with acids and bases as well as their inner salts.

In the general structure represented by the formula I, the above mentioned five fundamental aryl- and arylmethylaminoacids are those connected with the moieties Z and W. Apart from slight differences in the substitutions on the respective aryl portion, the five aryl- and arylmethyl aminoacids are substantially common to all members of the dalbaheptide antibiotics group, while the different type and structure of the two remaining aminoacid portions which bear the substituents X₁ and X₂ allow a further classification of the dalbaheptides so far known into four different sub-groups, each of which is referred, for practical reasons, to a well known antibiotic of the group that, in the previous scientific literature, has been generally identified as glycopeptide antibiotics.

Said four sub-groups can be defined respectively as ristocetin-type, vancomycin-type, avoparcin-type and synmonicin-type antibiotics.

For a detailed classification of the dalbaheptide antibiotics see references 1 and 2.

According to the terms and definitions of this specification, the dalbaheptide antibiotics as well as the four sub-groups into which they are presently classified, include both products produced as metabolites of microbial strains, as well as semisynthetic derivatives thereof.

The fermentation products generally bear sugar moieties conjugated with the hydroxy groups positioned on the aryl or arylmethyl portions of the five fundamental aminoacids, or on the X₁ and/or X₂ moieties when they contain hydroxylated aromatic ring moieties. In a few cases, one phenolic hydroxy function may be esterified with a sulfuric acid moiety. In the fermentation products the function represented by the symbol Y generally is a carboxyacid or a lower alkyl carboxyester, while the symbol T, in general, represents an amino or a lower alkyl amino (e.g. methylamino) moiety.

The semisynthetic derivatives described in the patents and scientific literature are, for instance, products deriving from complete or partial hydrolysis of the sugar portions, thus having free hydroxy groups on the aryl or the arylmethyl portions, products deriving from the elimination of the benzylic hydroxy group on the arylmethyl portions, products deriving from the introduction of specific sugar moieties or aliphatic or alicyclic moieties on a phenolic hydroxy function, products deriving from the modifications of the carboxylic moiety Y to form functional derivatives thereof, e.g. esters, amide or hydrazide derivatives or products deriving from the modification of the portion T yielding variously substituted amino groups (e.g. by alkylation or acylation) or resulting from the introduction of protecting groups of said aminic function or products deriving from the acylation of the aminic moieties of the amino sugar moieties, or products resulting from the dehalogenation of the aryl moieties originally containing halo substituents or products deriving from the introduction of halo (preferably chloro, bromo and iodo) substituents on the aryl moieties. Said semisynthetic derivatives may contain more than one of the above mentioned modifications of the basic structure of the natural products.

According to a more specific representation, most of the dalbaheptide antibiotics, the structure of which has been so far determined, can be represented by the formula I wherein the symbol W represents the partial structure: ##STR2## wherein R₁ is hydrogen, a sugar moiety, an aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbon moiety. R₂, R₃ and R₄ are each independently, hydrogen or halogen, preferably chloro or bromo, and are most preferably in the ortho position with respect to the ether bond. R₅ and R₆ are each independently hydrogen, or a group OR₇ wherein R₇ is hydrogen or a sugar moiety. As shown in formula I above, the group W is simultaneously linked to the second, fourth and sixth aminoacid moiety (starting from the right) of the heptapeptidic chain of dalbaheptides; and the symbol Z represents the partial structure: ##STR3## wherein the groups OR₈ and OR₉, preferably, are respectively in the para and ortho position with respect to the bond connecting the two phenyl rings and the radical R₈ and R₉ each independently represents hydrogen or a sugar moiety; most preferably R₈ is hydrogen. The group OR₁₀ is, preferably, in the position ortho with respect to the bond connecting the two phenyl rings and the radical R₁₀ represent hydrogen or a sugar moiety. The group R₁₁ is, preferably, in the position meta with respect to the bond connecting the two phenyl rings and represent hydrogen or halogen, most preferably, hydrogen or chloro. As shown in formula I, the group Z is linked to the fifth and seventh aminoacid moiety (starting from the right) of the heptapeptidic chain of dalbaheptides.

The meanings of the symbols X₁ and X₂ which permit the differentiation of the so far known dalbaheptide antibiotics into four sub-groups are respectively the following:

X₁ represents a phenyl or a benzyl group wherein the phenyl ring may optionally bear one or two substituents selected from halogen, preferably chloro, lower alkyl, preferably methyl, and hydroxy wherein the hydroxy group can be optionally conjugated with a sugar moiety through an acetalic bond or esterified with a sulfuric acid residue, or it may also represent a (C₁ -C₂) aliphatic moiety substituted with a carboxylic or carboxamide function, a thiomethyl or a methylsulfinyl group;

X₂ represents a phenyl group which may optionally bear one or two substituents selected from halogen, preferably chloro, lower alkyl, preferably methyl, and hydroxy wherein the hydroxy group can be optionally conjugated with a sugar moiety through an acetalic bond, or it may represent a (C₁ -C₄) aliphatic moiety, preferably methyl or isobutyl;

or X₁ and X₂ taken together represent a oxybis(phenylene) moiety where one or both phenyl rings may optionally be substituted as indicated above.

According to a more specific representation of most of the dalbaheptide antibiotics of formula I so far known (including the semisynthetic derivatives thereof), the symbol T, preferably identifies an aminic group wherein one or both hydrogen atoms may optionally be substituted by an alkyl radical of 1 to 12 carbon atoms which, in turn, can optionally bear one or more substituents, by a (C₄ -C₇) cycloalkyl, by an acyl radical or by a suitable protecting group of the aminic function or T may also represent a tri(lower alkyl)ammonio radical, the positive charge of which is neutralized by an anion deriving from either a strong acid or an internal acid function, e.g. a carboxylate anion deriving from the carboxyacid moiety represented by the symbol Y. In some cases T may also represent hydrogen (e.g. teicoplanin semisynthetic derivatives) or a hydroxy, oxo or oxymino moiety (e.g. ristocetin derivatives). Accordingly, when T is a divalent radical the dotted line in formula I represents an additional bond.

The symbol Y represents a carboxy group, a functional derivative thereof such as a carboxyester, a carboxamide, a carbohydrazide group or a hydroxymethyl moiety. This definition includes the naturally occurring lower alkyl esters as well as the esters formed by reaction of the carboxylic function with alcohols, e.g. aliphatic alcohols bearing substituents in the aliphatic chain, and includes also a wide series of substituted amides which are formed by reaction of the carboxy group with aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and heterocyclic amines. In particular the aliphatic amine may contain substituents on the aliphatic chain such as amino, lower alkylamino, di-lower alkylamino, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, carboxy, carbamyl, substituted carbamyl and the like.

The salts of the end compounds of formula I can be those deriving from the salification with an acid of the basic functions of the molecule, e.g. the aminic function identified by the symbol T, or an aminic function contained as substituent in the carboxyester, carboxamide or carbohydrazide moiety represented by the symbol Y or in a sugar moiety (e.g. vancomycin, avoparcin). Alternatively, the salts may be formed through salification of the carboxylic acid function represented by the symbol Y, or an acidic function contained as substituent in the carboxyester or carboxamide moiety or any acidic function which may be present in any other portion of the molecule, with an appropriate base. The inner salts are those formed through internal salification in the cases of simultaneous presence of basic (e.g. aminic) and acid (e.g. carboxylic) functions of sufficient strength in the dalbaheptide precursor and/or the pentapeptide end compounds.

In the dalbaheptide antibiotics, the sugar moieties which can be linked to the hydroxy groups are either mono-or polysaccharides which can be acetylated or methylated in one of the hydroxylic groups or deoxygenated in one or two positions and may bear carboxylic or aminic substituents which can be acylated, for instance, by aliphatic acid radicals. Specific sugar moieties can be introduced through chemical or microbiological reactions on dalbaheptide substrates having free hydroxy groups on the aromatic rings.

Typical examples of unsubstituted monosaccharide moieties linked to the hydroxy groups of the basic dalbaheptide structure include both hexoses and pentoses such as, for instance: glucose (e.g. actaplanin B₂), galactose (e.g. antibiotic A 41030C), mannose (e.g. teicoplanin A₂), fucose (e.g. antibiotic A 35512 B), rhamnose (e.g. avoparcin) and acetyl mannose (e.g. parvodicin C₃).

Typical examples of carboxy or amino substituted monosaccharide moieties linked to the hydroxy groups include N-acetyl glucosamine (e.g. teicoplanin A₂ complex), N-(C₉ -C₁₂) aliphatic acyl glucosamine (e.g. teicoplanin A₂ complex), ristosamine (e.g. ristocetin A), actinosamine (e.g. actinoidin A), N-(C₉ -C₁₂)aliphatic acyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-glucuronic acid (e.g. ardacins).

Typical examples of polysaccharide moieties may contain both unsubstituted and carboxy or amino substituted sugars units such as glucose (e.g. actaplanin A), mannose (e.g. ristocetin A) (e.g. ristocetin A), rhamnose (e.g. ristocetin B), olivose (e.g. orienticin B), vancosamine (e.g. vancomycin) epi-vancosamine (e.g. orienticin A, C and D), acosamine, (e.g. actinoidin), and ristosamine (e.g. avoparcin), linked with at least another sugar unit. In the dalbaheptides so far known and whose structure have been determined, polysaccharides containing up to four sugar units have been identified.

The characteristics which allow a further classification of the so far known dalbaheptides into four sub-groups are in no way limiting the scope of this invention in that new natural products and derivatives thereof falling into the general classification of dalbaheptide antibiotics can be obtained and identified which can be purified according to the IEF process of this invention. However, for a more precise identification of representative compounds which can be purified according to the process of the present invention, in the following is given a further detailed description of the four sub-groups mentioned above and of the corresponding representative compounds.

Referring to the formula I above, the sub-group identified as ristocetin-type dalbaheptides is characterized in that the symbols X₁ and X₂ taken together represent an oxybis(phenylene) moiety wherein one or both phenyl rings may optionally bear one or two substituent selected from halogen, preferably chloro, lower alkyl, preferably methyl, and hydroxy wherein the hydroxy group can be optionally conjugated with a sugar moiety through an acetalic bond or esterified with a sulfuric acid residue.

Dalbaheptide antibiotics which can be assigned to this sub-group include the following:

ristocetin (ref. 6), actaplanin (ref. 7, 8), teicoplanin (ref. 9, 10, 11), antibiotic A35512 (ref. 12, 13), antibiotic A41030 (ref. 14, 15), antibiotic A47934 (ref. 16, 17), ardacin A, B, C (ref. 18, 19, 20), antibiotic A40926 (ref. 21, 22, 23), kibdelin (ref. 24), parvodicin (ref. 25), and antibiotic UK 68597 (ref. 26).

The semisynthetic derivatives of the above mentioned natural products are also included in this sub-group. See, for instance, the aglycone and pseudoaglycones of ardacins (ref. 27) and the derivatives thereof wherein Y is a carboxamide or a carbohydrazide moiety (ref. 28); the aglycone and pseudoaglycone of parvodicin (ref. 29); the hydrolysis products of actaplanins (ref. 30); the conversion products of the first aminoacid moiety of ristocetin A, antibiotic A 35512, A 41030 and A 47934 to the corresponding keto-analogs (ref. 31 and 32); the acylation derivatives of ristocetin, actaplanin and their pseudoaglycons (ref. 33), the bromine analogs of actaplanin (ref. 34); the aromatic aldehyde derivatives of ristocetin (ref. 35); the derivatives of teicoplanin and antibiotic A40926, to which specific mention is made in the following.

The dalbaheptide antibiotic sub-group identified as vancomycin-type dalbaheptides is characterized by the fact that in formula I the symbol X₁ represents a (C₁ -C₂)aliphatic rest substituted with a carboxylic or carboxamide function and the symbol X₂ represents a (C₁ -C₄)aliphatic rest. In particular, in the most common examples of antibiotic substances falling within this sub-group, X₁ is a residue deriving from aspartic acid, aspargine or glutamine, while X₂ is a residue deriving from alanine or leucine.

Some vancomycin-type dalbaheptides (e.g. M43A, B and C, ref. 55) are further characterized by the fact that T represents a trimethylammonio group whose positive charge is neutralized by the carboxylate anion formed by the carboxylic group represented by the symbol Y.

Other dalbaheptide antibiotics which can be assigned to this sub-group include the following:

OA-7653 (ref. 51, 52), A 51568 A and B (ref. 53, 54), orienticins (ref. 56, 57), eremomycin (ref. 58, 59, 60, 61), A 42867 (ref. 50, 62), A 82846 (ref. 63, 64), chloroorienticins (ref. 65), MM 47761 and MM 49721 (ref. 94), decaplanin (ref. 95), MM 45289 and MM 47756 (ref. 96).

The semisynthetic derivatives of the above mentioned natural products are included in this sub-group. See for instance: the variously glycosylated derivatives of the hydrolysis products of vancomycin, A 51568A and B and M 43D (ref. 66); the desvancosaminyl and des(vancosaminyl-O-glucosyl)-derivatives of vancomycin, A 51568A; A 51568B, M 43A and M 43B (ref. 67), the derivatives of A 82846 (ref. 93); the reaction products of the aminic rests of some vancomycin-type dalbaheptides with aldehydes and ketones and the corresponding hydrogenation products (ref. 68, 69), the N-acyl derivatives of vancomycin-type antibiotics (ref. 70, 71), mono- and didechlorovancomycin (ref. 72) and the hydrolysis products of eremomycin (ref. 60).

The avoparcin-type dalbaheptide sub-group is characterized by the fact that the symbol X₁ in formula I represents a phenyl or benzyl group wherein the phenyl ring may optionally bear one or two substituents selected from hydroxy and halogen, preferably chloro, the symbol X₂ represents a phenyl group which may optionally bear one or two substituents selected from halogen, preferably chloro, and hydroxy which may optionally be conjugated with a sugar moiety (e.g. rhamnose).

Other dalbaheptide antibiotics which can be assigned to this group include the following:

actinoidin A, B (ref. 3, 75, 76), chloropolysporin A, B, C (ref. 77, 78, 79), actinoidin A₂ (ref. 80, 76) and helvecardin A, B (ref. 26), MM 47767, MM 55256 (ref. 92).

Semisynthetic derivatives of avoparcin-type sub-group of dalbaheptide antibiotics are for instance the demannosyl chloropolysporin B derivatives, the chloropolysporin pseudoaglycone, the derhamnosyl alpha and beta avoparcin (ref. 81), the mannosyl aglycones of avoparcin (LL-AV290) and other derivatives wherein one or more sugar moieties are hydrolyzed (ref. 84).

The dalbaheptide antibiotics sub-group identified as synmonicin-type antibiotics is characterized by the fact that in formula I the symbol X₁ represents a C₂ alkyl rest substituted on the terminal carbon with a thiomethyl or methylsulfinyl group, and the symbol X₂ represent a phenyl group bearing a hydroxy substituent which may be conjugated with a sugar moiety. Synmonicin (CWI-785) complex, its components and some of its hydrolysis products (ref. 86, 87, 88) seem to be, for the moment, the only members of this sub-group.

As said above, a particular compound which can be assigned to the ristocetin-type dalbaheptides is the teicoplanin A₂ complex, of general formula ##STR4## wherein A, B and M represent the sugar moieties linked to the molecule core in the natural products.

Within the term "teicoplanin" are comprised the single components of the fermentation complex (ref. 9) and related substances (ref. 36, 37) as well as the aglycone, pseudoaglycones (ref. 4, 38, 39, 40) and the semisynthetic derivatives thereof.

The chemical structures of the semisynthetic derivatives of teicoplanin which are particularly interesting for their biological activity have the same basic structure of the teicoplanin main components, the related substances, aglycone and pseudoaglycone with the modifications of either/both the C⁶³ carboxy group or/and the aminic rest on the C¹⁵. In particular, the C⁶³ carboxy rest corresponding to the symbol Y in the formula I above has been modified to the corresponding esters according to ref. 41 and carboxamide group CONR₁₄ R₁₅ according to the meanings set forth respectively in ref. 73, 74, 82 and 83.

In the semisynthetic derivatives, the aminic rest on the C¹⁵ identifies an aminic radical modified by reaction with protecting groups or by conversion into the corresponding alkylamino or dialkylamino group wherein the alkyl portion(s) can bear further substituents according to ref. 85, 89, 90 and 91. Teicoplanin derivatives presenting modifications in both C⁶³ carboxylic group and aminic rest on the C¹⁵ and processes for their manufacture have been described in ref. 83 and 98.

Other semisynthetic teicoplanin derivatives described in the prior art include the esters and hydrazides of the C⁶³ carboxy group (ref. 41 and 42), the de-acetyl glucosaminyl-deoxy teicoplanins (ref. 43) and the corresponding C⁶³ carboxyamides (ref. 44), the mono and di-dechloroderivatives of teicoplanin (ref. 45), the O⁵⁶ alkyl and cycloalkyl derivatives of teicoplanin aglycone and pseudoaglycones (ref. 46 and 97) and the 38-decarboxy-38-hydroxymethyl derivatives (ref. 99).

A further compound falling within the ristocetin-type dalbaheptides sub-group is antibiotic A 40926 complex and its main factors (refs. 21, 22, 23), defined by the following general formula ##STR5## wherein A and M represent the sugar moieties linked to the molecule core in the natural products.

As well as for teicoplanin, a number of derivatives of antibiotic A 40926 have been disclosed; among those are the aglycon thereof (ref. 48), the mannosyl aglycon (ref. 47), the N-acylamino-deoxy-glycuronyl aglycones (ref. 48), the deacyl derivatives (ref. 49), the C⁶³ -ester derivatives (ref. 100) and the C⁶³ -amide derivatives (ref. 101).

Ref. 101 discloses, among others, the preparation of the 6^(B) -decarboxy-6^(B) -(hydroxymethyl)-N⁶³ -3-(dimethylamino)propyl amide derivative of antibiotic A40926. This compound is prepared by reacting the 6^(B) -decarboxy-6^(B) -(hydroxymethyl) antibiotic A40926 with dimethylpropylamine in the presence of the condensing agent benzotriazolyloxy-tris-(pyrrolidino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBOP). The so obtained product contains however some undesired impurities which can not be removed under conventional chromatographic procedures.

As said above, one object of the present invention is to provide a purification method based on isoelectric focusing for purifying the above dalbaheptide antibiotics from undesired impurities.

Said impurities to be separated, may be either minor components of an antibiotic complex mixture obtained from a fermentation process or side-products of chemical reactions to which the antibiotic compound has been submitted for obtaining semisynthetic derivatives thereof.

For instance, it is known that a dalbaheptide antibiotic complex (either natural or semisynthetic) may contain some impurities which elicit histamine release when administered to patients; depending on the specific dalbaheptide antibiotic, said histamine release may be more or less marked (see ref. 114). Such histamine release has also been observed, for instance, in the case of the 6^(B) -decarboxy-6^(B) -(hydroxymethyl)-N⁶³ -3-(dimethylamino)propyl amide derivative of antibiotic A40926 complex.

As these impurities are, in general, hardly detectable, and thus hardly individually removable, a method which allows the separation of all the impurities from the active substances is highly desirable.

The present IEF purification is thus a powerful tool for eliminating impurities which could not be eliminated by an array of conventional chromatographic procedures, including RP-HPLC. It is furthermore a method which can be applied for the purification of the dalbaheptide antibiotics on industrial scale.

The main obstacle in applying the IEF technique for the purification of dalbaheptide antibiotics, in common with all focusing methodologies, is that, at its pI value, the compound to be purified shows a very limited solubility. The preparation of a suitable supporting solution of the analyte at its pI value, able to maintain the solubility of the compound to be purified also at relatively high concentrations, is thus one of the main problems to solve; in fact, upon precipitation, also the impurities would co-precipitate with the main fraction.

It has now been found that an aqueous solution of urea and a zwitterionic detergent is suitable for solubilizing the dalbaheptide antibiotic compounds; particularly suitable have been found mixtures of urea with detergents of the CHAPS family, i.e. the sulfobetaine zwitterionic derivatives of cholic acid, e.g. {3- 3-(cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio!}-1-propanesulfonate or {3- 3-(cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio!}-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonate; among those, preferred is {3- 3-(cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio!}-1-propanesulfonate.

The urea/CHAPS ratio in the mixtures and the concentration thereof will depend on the specific dalbaheptide compound to purify. In general, it has been found that the concentration of urea in the solution can vary in the range from about 4M to 8M; for instance, when mixtures containing 63-amide derivatives of antibiotic A40926 are involved in the IEF purification of the invention, a preferred concentration of urea is about 8M. A suitable concentration of CHAPS detergents in the IEF supporting solution may be from about 1% to 5% (w/v); preferably, the concentration is from 2% to 4.5%. Particularly preferred for purifying mixtures obtained from amidation of antibiotic A40926 is a concentration of about 3.5%.

The pI values of each dalbaheptide antibiotic substance may be easily determined according to common analytical procedures, such as by electrophoresis on analytical immobilized pH gradient gels (IPG gels). A suitable methodology for the determination of the pI values using IPG gels is described in ref. 112.

Theoretical calculation of the pI values, based on the pK values of the acid and/or basic groups of the antibiotic molecule, may lead to uncorrect results, because of possible interactions of the acid and basic moieties which can modify the effective pK values of the single moieties.

Once the suitable supporting solution of the dalbaheptide antibiotic has been prepared, the IEF purification may be accomplished according to methodologies similar to those known in the art.

Accordingly, a set of chambers is prepared, which chambers are determined by a number of isoelectric membranes having increasing pI values. The range of the pI values of the membranes will be set according to the determined pI value of the compound to purify and the pI values of the impurities to separate. Depending on the specific dalbaheptide to purify, the pI value of the membranes can vary from about 3 to about 9. In general, the range of the pI values will be about ±2 the pI value of the compound to purify. A suitable method for preparing the membranes is disclosed in ref. 5 and 113.

The components of the mixture to be purified will thus be separated across the isoelectric gradient, according to their specific pI values; at the end of the process, each chamber will contain the substance (impurity or main compound) having a pI value comprised between the pI values of the two isoelectric membranes delimiting the chamber. For obtaining good purification results the pI value of the compound to be purified should, of course, differ at least to a minimal extent with the pI values of the impurities; however, the pI values delimiting a single chamber may be very close to each other, thus allowing very high levels of purification.

It should be noted, that when the single antibiotic factors of a complex (or at least its main factors) have similar pI values, it is possible to collect all these factors in a single chamber, provided that the undesired impurities have pI values outside the pI range of the antibiotic factors; in this way, the active antibiotic compounds may be separated as a whole from the undesired impurities, without the need of separating each single factor. Thus, in the following of this specification, the wording "main component" refers to a single factor of an antibiotic complex as well as to a mixture of factors having similar pI values.

A suitable apparatus for carry out the present IEF purification is described in ref. 113.

According to the present invention, the compound to be purified may continuously be loaded into the chamber where the main component is isoelectric; in this way, under the electrophoretic titration process conditions, the desired compound(s) remains trapped into that chamber, while impurities having different pI values or being non-isoelectric are forced to leave the chamber, towards the more anodic or cathodic chambers. If desired, each chamber may be connected with a liquid reservoir, in order to provide a suitable recycling of the chamber for avoiding undesired precipitation of the product. This option is particularly suitable when applied to the chamber of the main component; in fact, as the IEF process takes place, the concentration of the product into the chamber (which has a relatively small volume) may increase up to the precipitation value; as said above, this event should be strictly avoided, as with the main component also impurities would co-precipitate. On the other hand, a concentration of the impurities into the other chambers may be desired and thus the above recycling would not be necessary.

In an alternative embodiment of the present purification process, the compound to be purified may be continuously loaded into a chamber where the main component is not isoelectric, so that it is forced to move towards its isoelectric chamber. This alternative process is particularly suitable for separating impurities having a pI very close to the one of the main component. It could in fact happen that, when the mixture to be purified is loaded into its isoelectric chamber, an impurity having a pI value close to the one(s) of the main component would remain into that chamber instead of moving towards the respective neighboring anodic or cathodic chamber, where the impurity is isoelectric. Thus, by loading the compound to be purified into a chamber where the main component is not isoelectric, for instance in the neighboring anodic chamber, the main component moves towards its isoelectric chamber, while the impurities having more anodic pI values are left in the initial chamber.

As above, a liquid reservoir may be connected with each chamber; of course, for avoiding precipitation of the main component, the liquid reservoir should be connected also in this case to the chamber where the main component is isoelectric.

The applied voltage will depend upon a number of factors such as the type of the substance to be purified, the amount of impurities present, the amount of the substance loaded, the composition of the supporting solution as well as the composition of the anolyte and the catholyte, and the geometry of the IEF apparatus (e.g. dimension, number of isoelectric membranes, distance of the electrodes etc.); for instance, a low voltage is in general applied for eliminating excess salt in the sample, before beginning the purification process at a higher voltage; for instance, for a 12 cm distance of the electrodes, an initial voltage from 400 V to 600 V can be applied, and afterword the process is performed at a voltage of from 1000 to 5000 V, preferably about 1500 V.

The heat which forms during the electrophoretic process may be dissipated according to known per se techniques; for reduced heating, dissipation in air at room temperature is sufficient, while for a more intehensive heating a circulating coolant, such as water, may be preferred.

The process time will depend mainly on the amount of substance loaded and on the applied voltage.

After the IEF purification has been carried out, the desired compound is recovered from the supporting solution according to known per se techniques. For instance, the separation of the purified compound from the urea/CHAPS mixture may be carried out on a silanized silica gel column.

The following examples will illustrate more in detail the invention.

This specific examples refer to the purification of the 6^(B) -decarboxy-6^(B) -(hydroxymethyl)-N⁶³ -3-(dimethyl-amino)propyl amide derivative (hereinafter "amide derivative") of antibiotic A40926, obtained according to the amidation process disclosed in ref. 101 by reacting the 6^(B) -decarboxy-6^(B) -(hydroxymethyl) antibiotic A40926 with dimethylpropylamine in the presence of the condensing agent PyBOP. During pharmacological studies, it has been found that such amide derivative complex contains undesired impurities which may elicit an histamine release effect. With the process of the present invention, it is possible to remove said undesired impurities, thus obtaining a purified product showing no histamine release effect.

As known, antibiotic A40926 obtained from the fermentation process (see ref. 21) is a mixture of single related factors, wherein the main factors are factor B₀ and factor B₁. The ratio of the single factors may be varied by modifying the fermentation conditions (see, e.g., ref 115). Furthermore, if desired, the single factors of A40926 may be first separated and then mixtures of the single factors in the desired ratio may be prepared.

As evident, the relative amide derivatives of a A40926 complex will thus be a corresponding mixture of the amide derivatives of the single factors, depending on the composition of the specific antibiotic A40926 starting material.

In the following of this specification, when dealing with mixtures of amide derivatives of factor B₀ and B₁, it is intended a mixture of the two factors in any proportion.

The above amide derivative of A40926 factor B₀ and factor B₁ may be represented by the following formula: ##STR6## wherein M represents a mannosyl moiety and R₁ represents a --CH(CH₃)₂ group for factor B₀ or a --(CH₂)₂ CH₃ group for factor B₁.

Thus, according to the present invention, the above amide derivatives of A40926 may be obtained substantially free from undesired impurities, as a mixture of amides of factors B₀ and B₁. It is intended that a substantially pure mixture of amides of factors B₀ and B₁ is a mixture of the said two compounds in any proportion, which mixture is free from undesired impurities having a pI value within the range from about 8.40 to about 8.65, determined in a solution of 8M urea and 3.5% (w/v) CHAPS. In order to obtain said purified mixture, the two limiting membranes of the collecting chamber may be set at a pI value of 8.41 and 8.65, respectively, while loading the mixture to be purified in this electrolyzer chamber.

If desired, the minor factor B₁ may be separated from the main factor B₀, thus obtaining the substantially pure amide derivative of factor B₀. It is intended that a substantially pure amide derivative of factor B₀ is a compound which is free from undesired impurities having a pI value within the range from about 8.45 to about 8.65, determined in a solution of 8M urea and 3.5% (w/v) CHAPS. In order to obtain the above pure compound, the two limiting membranes of the collecting chamber may be set at a pI value of 8.45 and 8.65, respectively; in this case, the mixture to be purified is preferably loaded in the nearest anodic chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1: Analytical RP-HPLC of the unfractionated sample; the main peak relates to the amide derivatives of factors B₀ and B₁.

FIG. 2: Analytical IPG of the unfractionated sample, according to Example 1; sample load ranges from 80 (right side) to 600 (left side) μg per track.

FIG. 3: Analytical RP-HPLC of the content of chamber 3 (pI 8.41÷8.65, chamber where the main purified fraction is collected) after the IEF purification process according to Example 2. The main peak corresponds to the amide derivative of factor B₀ ; the smaler peak overlapping this peak corresponds to the amide derivatives of factor B₁.

FIGS. 4-6: Analytical RP-HPLC of the content of chambers 1, 2 an 4 (chambers where impurities are collected) after the IEF purification process according to Example 2.

FIG. 7: Analytical RP-HPLC of the content of chamber 3 (pI 8.46÷8.65, chamber where the purified amide derivative of factor B₀ is collected) after the IEF purification process according to Example 3. The main peak corresponds to the pure amide derivative of factor B₀.

ANALYTICAL RP-HPLC SYSTEM

Apparatus: two Mod. 305 pumps, a Mod. 232 autosampler, a Mod. 805 manometer, a Mod. 811B dynamic mixer (all from Gilson Medical Electronic, Middletown, Wis., USA);

column: YMC-Pack C4-AMP 5 μm, 20 nm, 250×4.6 mm (YMC Co. Ltd., Shin-Arami Tai Kumijama-cho, Kuse-gun, Kyoto, Japan);

Elution:

phase A: water/acetonitrile/phosphoric acid (95/5/0.05),

phase B: water/acetonitrile/phosphoric acid (5/95/0.05),

gradient profile: time(min): 2 25 35 55 60 64 65

% B: 5 20 20 40 95 95 5

volume injection: 100 μl,

flow rate: 1.8 ml/min,

oven temperature: 30° C.;

detection: UW absorbance at 254 nm on a Mod. 116 UV detector (Gilson Medical Electronic, Middletown, Wis., USA).

EXAMPLE 1

Preparation of Analytical Immobilized pH Gradient (IPG) Gels, for Determining the pI Values of the Main Component and of the Impurities

Gel dimension: 25×10 cm, 0, 5 mm thick; pH interval: 7.0 to 10.0.

The IPG ranges are set in a 5% T, 4% C polyacrylamide matrix, according to the preparation recipe disclosed in Ref. 110. After preparing the two limiting, acidic and basic mixtures, they are titrated (with a weak acid and a weak base) to pH values close to neutrality. This is important in order to ensure uniform polymerization and efficient monomer conversion throughout the preformed pH gradient. Upon gel washing in distilled water (3×30 min), all added titrants (as well as catalysts and ungrafted monomers) are efficiently removed. The gels are then equilibrated for 30 min in 2% glycerol solution, dried in air and reswollen in a mixture of 8M urea and 3.5% CHAPS, overnight. The sample is applied in surface wells at the anodic gel side in concentrations from 80 to 600 μg/track. After an initial 1 h period at 500 V, focusing is continued at 2500 V for 6 h at 20° C.

For gel staining a colloidal dispersion of Coomassie Brilliant Blue G.250 in 12.5% TCA, in a leuco form, has been adopted (see ref. 111), overnight. Color enhancement is obtained by rinsing in plain distilled water.

FIG. 2: Shows the results of the analytical IPG.

For exactly determining the pI value of the amide derivative of factor B₀ and factor B₁, the above procedure is repeated under the same conditions, in the pH interval from 8.0 to 9.0 using a mixture of 8M urea and 1% CHAPS. The so determined pI value of the amide derivative of factor B₀ is 8.56, whilst the pI value of the amide derivative of factor B₁ is 8.40.

EXAMPLE 2

IEF Purification of the Sample (Amides of Antibiotic A40926 Factors B₀ and B₁)

The IEF purification is carried out with the Iso-PrIME apparatus (Hoefer Sci., San Francisco), consisting of a multichamber electrolyzer to be assembled with isoelectric, buffering membranes.

A) Preparation of Isoelectric Immobilized Membranes

After determining, in the above analytical gels, the precise pI values of the main fraction and of the impurities, six isoelectric membranes are prepared having the following pI values: 7.00, 8.31, 8.41, 8.46, 8.65 and 9.50. All membranes were cast as a 10% T, 4% C matrix in the form of disks of 4.7 cm diameter of and a thickness of ca. 1 mm; the membranes are supported by glass fiber filters (see ref. 5 and 113 for a detailed description of their properties and preparation).

B) Experimental Conditions

Anolyte: 5 mM acetic acid in 8 M urea and 0.1% CHAPS (pH 4.84, conductivity; 85.5 μmhos);

Supporting solution in the chambers: mixture of 8 M urea and 3.5% CHAPS;

Supporting solution in the electrodic reservoires: 8 M urea and 0.1% CHAPS:

After an initial low-voltage run (500 V) for eliminating excess salt in the sample, purification is achieved at 1500 V (over a 12 cm electrode distance) in 30 hours. No circulating coolant is utilized and joule heat was dissipated in air at room temperature (22° C.). Under the above conditions, the temperature rise in the liquid in the electrolyzer, at steady-state, was only 3° C.

C) Purification Process

A preparative run is carried out, by loading 500 mg of sample (dissolved in 100 ml of 8 M urea and 3.5% CHAPS) in chamber 3 of the multicompartment electrolyzer (in between the pI 8.41 and pI 8.65 membranes, where the main component would be trapped isoelectrically). The content of this chamber is recycled from a reservoir, whereas all neighboring chambers were not connected to any reservoir. Since the liquid content of each chamber of the electrolyzer is 5 ml, whereas in chamber 3 (chamber plus reservoir) it is 100 ml, this results in collection, in neighboring chambers, of 20-fold concentrated impurities.

The preparative run results are summarized in FIGS. 3 to 6, where the RP-HPLC analysis of each chamber is shown.

FIG. 1 gives the total spectrum of components, as seen by under heavy overloading of the main components. While it is not possible to fully compare the elution order in RP-HPLC with the pI spectrum, component B₁ is clearly identifiable with the compound having the nearest anodic pI value with respect to component B₀.

The spectrum of components collecting in chamber 1 of the electrolyzer (in between the pI 7.0 and pI 8.31 membranes) is shown in FIG. 4; those impurities concentrated in chamber 2 (pI 8.31 to pI 8.41 membranes) are shown in FIG. 5; those impurities concentrated in the last chamber (No. 4, in between the pI 8.65 and pI 9.5 membranes) are shown in FIG. 6.

The main component (collecting in chamber 3, in between the pI 8.41 and pI 8.65 membranes) is shown in FIG. 3; the smaller peak close to the main peak corresponds to the amide derivatives of factor B₁.

EXAMPLE 3

Pure Amide Derivatives of A40926 Factor B₀

Example 2 is repeated under the same experimental conditions, with the only difference that the pI range of chamber 3 is now 8.46÷8.65 and that the sample (500 mg) is loaded into the nearest anodic chamber (chamber 2) instead of into chamber 3; the content of chamber 3 (where the main component is forced to move and is trapped isoelectrically) is recycled from a reservoir.

FIG. 7 shows the results of this purification; the smaller peak close to the main peak of the amide derivative of A40926 factor B₀ is absent, thus indicating the absence of the B₁ amide derivatives of A40926.

EXAMPLE 4

Separation of the Amide Derivative of A40926 Factor B₀ from the Urea/CHAPS Supporting Mixture

The final solution contained in chamber 3 (200 mg in 50 ml), obtained according to example 3, is diluted with 0.5M TRIS (450 ml, pH 9) and applied on the top of silanized silica gel column (16×250 mm), using a Miniplus 3 peristaltic pump (Gilson) at a flow rate of 4 ml/min; methanol is employed as the eluent.

Before applying the solution the column is washed with TRIS buffer (0.5M, pH 9).

After applying the solution, the column is first washed with TRIS buffer (0.5M, pH 9) down to the zero of optical density and then with distilled water for removing the salts.

The monitoring of the eluates solution is carried out with a UV detector mod. 2138 unicords (LKB, Uppsala. Sweden) at 280 nm.

Fractions showing optical density different from zero were collected and analyzed by RP-HPLC (see the above methodology) and TLC on silica gel F254 (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany), mobile phase CHCl₃ /CH₃ OH/NH₄ OH (50/47/3) or CH₃ CN/H₂ O/CH₃ COOH/CH₃ OH (50/20/15/5), visualization with UV lamp or iodine vapors.

Fractions containing the pure amide derivatives of A40926 factor B₀ are pooled, concentrated under vacuum and lyophilized.

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We claim:
 1. Process for purifying an antibiotic compound of the dalbaheptide family, by means of isoelectric focusing in multicompartment electrolyzer with IMMOBILINE zwitterionic membranes, characterized in that the supporting solution is an aqueous mixture of urea and a detergent which is a sulfobetaine zwitterionic derivative of cholic acid.
 2. Process according to claim 1 wherein the detergent is {3- 3-(cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio!}-1-propanesulfonate.
 3. Process according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of urea is from 4M to 8M.
 4. Process according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of urea is 8M.
 5. Process according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the detergent is from 1% to 5% (w/v).
 6. Process according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the detergent is from 2% to 4.5% (w/v).
 7. Process according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the detergent is 3.5% (w/v).
 8. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dalbaheptide antibiotic belongs to the ristocetin sub-group.
 9. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dalbaheptide antibiotic to be purified is ristocetin, actaplanin, teicoplanin, antibiotic A35512, antibiotic A41030, antibiotic A47934, ardacin A, B, C, antibiotic A40926, kibdelin, parvodicin, antibiotic UK 68597, or a natural or semisynthetic derivative of said antibiotics.
 10. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dalbaheptide antibiotic to be purified is antibiotic A40926 complex or a natural or semisynthetic derivative thereof.
 11. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dalbaheptide antibiotic to be purified is the 6^(B) -decarboxy-6^(B) -(hydroxymethyl)-N⁶³ -3-(dimethylamino)propyl amide derivative of antibiotic A40926 complex.
 12. Process according to claim 11, wherein the two limiting membranes of the chamber where the purified product is collected are set at a pI value of 8.41 and 8.65, respectively.
 13. Process according to claim 11, wherein the two limiting membranes of the chamber where the purified product is collected are set at a pI value of 8.45 and 8.65, respectively. 